5 Career Tips from A List Stylist Joseph Maine

by charlottegw / March 6, 2018

To celebrate Apprentice Week (5 to 9 March 2018)we spoke to Color Wow artistic director and A list stylist Joseph Maine about his tips for apprentices.

Don’t get disheartened if you find you don’t like working in your first salonOnce I finished high school I went to work at a small, local Texas salon. But working there actually showed my where I didn’t want to be. But there’s plenty of other opportunities in the hairdressing industry to get involved in like session work, freelance styling and working for bigger salons.

Be where you need to be geographically!It may sound surprisingly simple but I moved from Texas to LA because I knew that was the side of the industry I wanted to be involved in. Within a couple of weeks I had met these amazing stylists with cool clients who travelled the world and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Focus on yourself and your own vision – try not to get in your head about what others might think or what someone else would do in that same situation. Show up on time, be patient and work hard.

The internet is an amazing career tool – use it!When I moved to LA I googled the top ten hair salons in LA. I got interviews at all of the salons and thankfully got to choose which one I wanted to go with. Serge Normant at John Frieda was my first choice. I also get emails and DMs all the time from stylists asking if I need help while in certain countries. And I absolutely do! Just put yourself out there.

Build friendships wherever you canFor instance one of my clients worked in law but then the next time I saw her she had got a beauty PR agency. She ended up booking me to work on a beauty campaign. So much of this careers is about networking. Put yourself out there. For fashion week, reach out to people (even friends of friends) that are doing shows.

Aim to feel like the best version of yourselfAs an apprentice choosing where to start your career is a huge decision. You’re likely to be there for at least a couple of years. If you have options, pick the place where you feel most like yourself.

Ps.And a note to recruiters:It’s important to not have too high a standard for apprentices. You want to mould people and nurture them into what you want. Take a chance on them. Don’t pass judgment on appearances, they are still developing. If you are a true mentor you will guide someone to be where they need to be.

Read more of Joseph’s interview in the April issue of Hairdressers Journal.